Snowflake Proposal
by wickedsingularity
Summary: [x-mas stories 2018 #2, drabble] The five-year mission is over and Jim takes his girlfriend back home to Iowa to visit his mother. One evening, he's taking a walk with his girlfriend and finally finds the moment he's been waiting for.


It was winter in Iowa. There was already about an inch of snow, and it was still coming down in large white chunks. Downtown Riverside was silent a few minutes past midnight on a Wednesday, the snow muffled the sounds of their footsteps. The stores were long closed, and the moon was new behind the snow-filled clouds, the streetlights were the only source of light.

It felt peaceful. Which was something Jim never thought he'd feel in Iowa, or on Earth at all. Ever since that barfight by the shipyard years ago, his life had been space, and space gave him peace.

"A slip of latinum for your thoughts."

The hand in his tightened for a second, getting his attention. Jim turned his head slightly to see his girlfriend looking at him, the streetlight they just passed flashed in her eyes. He cracked a small smile.

She had a lot to do with it, Jim thought, the peace in his heart. She'd been part of his crew from the very start – the disaster with Nero, and all through the five-year mission. But it was while they were stranded on Yorktown that he fell for her, hard and fast. He'd struggled after everything that had happened and he'd had a particularly hard day and had gone for a walk in the evening to clear his head. He thought he was alone in that part of the park when he let it all overwhelm him, but she'd been there, and she'd seen and she'd helped him. And there was no one else for him since that night.

"Just thinking of how peaceful this is," Jim said.

She stopped and turned her head up at the slowly falling snow, eyes closed. Jim stopped a couple of steps later, her hand holding his halting him. Then she looked at him again, snowflakes on her eyelashes. "It is. It really is. I'm glad you wanted to come back here, Jim."

He chuckled at the snow on her face and walked up to her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Me too. And I'm glad mom ditched that good-for-nothing dirtbag."

"I would have loved to have met him though," she said, her voice going dark, staring at the collar of his jacket. "I would love to punch out a few of his teeth. But let's not talk about him."

"Let's not. He's not an issue anymore." They started walking again. "I'm glad you wanted to come back with me."

"Why wouldn't I. I've been dying to meet the woman who raised this wonderful man I'm in love with." She swung their hands back and forth between them. "I've heard he was quite a rebel in his youth, but she did a good job on him because he grew to be the most charming, kind, warm man."

Jim lifted their entwined hands and kissed the back of her hand, his lips lingering on the cool skin.

She hummed. "Your lips are warm."

"Are you cold?" he spoke against her skin, blowing warm air on her hand.

"A bit. But I don't want to back just yet. Snowy ice planets just aren't the same as a snowfall on Earth."

"I know what you mean."

About an hour ago, when it had started snowing again, they had decided to go for a walk. Jim's mother had gone to bed after urging them to dress warmly.

"Mom is crazy about you, you know."

"She is?"

"Uh-huh. Says getting you to like me is the smartest thing I've ever done my entire life."

"She's right."

Jim bumped into her shoulder playfully and she laughed. The beautiful sound bounced off the shop walls, and his heart soared, just like every time she laughed. He wanted to make her laugh for the rest of his life.

The hand that was not holding hers, was buried in his jacket pocket, clutching the little box he'd been carrying around ever since they came back to Earth two months ago. They'd talked about it many times, but while they were travelling around in space, it just never seemed like the right time. Then the five-year mission ended and neither of them was sure what they wanted to do yet. Starfleet had a lot of options for them, but they hadn't made up their mind. Whatever they decided though, they wanted to be in the same place.

Her hand slipped out of Jim's and she danced forward, her face to the dark skies, tongue sticking out. A snowflake fell onto it and she giggled. Her eyes found another one and she moved towards it, eyes blinking with every snowflake that fell onto her face. Then she caught another one on her tongue, giggling again, before setting off for another one.

Jim's heart beat hard in his chest as he looked at her. She was so absolutely beautiful in that moment, so happy, so free. They had promised each other forever, but now, Jim felt it was finally the moment to do it the right way. He took the box out of his jacket pocket and knelt right there in the snow-covered street.

"It's easy when they're so big," she said, dancing under the falling snow.

He didn't say anything but just looked at her. She seemed to sense it because she suddenly stopped and turned back around to him. Her hand flew to her mouth, covering a gasp.

"Jim?"

He gestured for her to come closer, and she did. Her steps were hesitant at first, but then surer. When she was close enough, Jim reached for her hand. "I love you, so much," he began, looking up into her astonished eyes. "I should have probably prepared a speech, but... You're everything to me. You're my peace, my home. Will you marry me?"

She sobbed but managed to choke out the answer. "Yes, Jim. Yes." Then she dropped to her knees too, and he pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. It was not the ring he had bought on some planet ages ago and hidden away until it became a permanent part of his pockets the last two months. His mom had once offered him the ring she got from his father, and as soon as they came to Iowa, Jim sold the first ring and replaced it with his mother's.

It fit perfectly.

* * *

 _A/N Thank you to iguess-theyre-mymess on tumblr for the idea!_


End file.
